Stage assembly with measurement system initialization, vibration compensation, low transmissibility, and lightweight fine stage

• US 7,417,714 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2005
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Binnard, Michael, Yuan, Bausan, Yang, Pai-Hsueh, Ma, Wen-Hou, Ueta, Toshio, Teng, Ting-Chien
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Peter B.
• Application Number:
  US11/258,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20060101928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 355/72, 355/75, 355/53, 356/399, 356/400, 356/401, 318/649, 318/640
• US Class Current: 355/72
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70716 Stages
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70775 Position control, e.g. interferometers or encoders for determining the stage position
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/709 Vibration, e.g. vibration detection, compensation, suppression or isolation

Abstract

A stage assembly (220) that moves a work piece (200) about a first axis and along a first axis includes a first stage (238), a second stage (240) that retains the work piece (200), a second mover assembly (244), a measurement system, and an initialization system (1081A). The second mover assembly (244) moves the second stage (240) relative to the first stage (238) about the first axis. The measurement system (22) monitors the position of the second stage (240) about the first axis when the second stage (240) is positioned within a working range about the first axis. The initialization system (1081A) facilitates movement of the second stage (240) about the first axis when the second stage (240) is rotated about the first axis outside the working range. The second mover assembly (244) can include a mover (255) and a dampener (410) that reduces the transmission of vibration from the first stage (238) to the second stage (240). In addition, the stage assembly (220) can include a control system (24) that directs power to the mover (255) to position the second stage (240) and to compensate for vibration of the first stage (238).

Claims

1. A stage assembly that positions a work piece about a first axis, the stage assembly comprising:

a first stage;

a second stage that retains the work piece;

a second mover assembly that moves the second stage relative to the first stage about the first axis;

a measurement system that monitors the position of the second stage about the first axis when the second stage is positioned within a FA working range about the first axis; and

an initialization system that facilitates positioning of the second stage about the first axis when the second stage is rotated about the first axis outside the FA working range.

2. The stage assembly of claim 1 wherein the initialization system monitors the position of the second stage about the first axis.

3. The stage assembly of claim 1 wherein the measurement system monitors the position of the second stage about a second axis when the second stage is positioned within a SA working range and wherein the initialization system monitors the position of the second stage about the first axis and the second axis.

4. The stage assembly of claim 3 wherein the measurement system monitors the position of the second stage about a third axis when the second stage is positioned within a TA working range and wherein the initialization system monitors the position of the second stage about the third axis.

5. The stage assembly of claim 1 wherein the initialization system includes a first aligner and wherein the second mover assembly moves the second stage against the first aligner to orientate the second stage within the FA working range.

6. The stage assembly of claim 5 wherein the initialization system includes a second aligner and wherein the second mover assembly moves the second stage against the second aligner to orientate the second stage within a SA working range.

7. The stage assembly of claim 6 wherein the initialization system includes a third aligner and wherein the second mover assembly moves the second stage against the third aligner to orientate the second stage within a TA working range about the third axis.

8. The stage assembly of claim 5 wherein the first aligner includes a contact area that allows the second stage to move relative to the first aligner while engaging the first aligner.

9. The stage assembly of claim 1 wherein the initialization system includes a first sensor that monitors the position of the second stage and a first aligner, and wherein the second mover assembly moves the second stage against the first aligner to orientate the second stage within the FA working range.

10. The stage assembly of claim 1 further comprising a first mover assembly that moves the first stage with three degrees of movement.

11. The stage assembly of claim 1 wherein the second mover assembly includes a mover and a dampener that reduces the transmission of vibration from the first stage to the second stage, and the stage assembly further comprises a control system that directs power to the mover to compensate for vibration from the first stage.

12. An exposure apparatus including an illumination system and the stage assembly of claim 1.

13. A method for manufacturing a device, the method comprising the steps of providing a substrate and forming an image on the substrate with the exposure apparatus of claim 12.

14. A method for manufacturing a wafer, the method comprising the steps of providing a substrate and forming an image on the wafer with the exposure apparatus of claim 12.

15. The stage assembly of claim 1 wherein the second mover assembly includes a dampener that reduces the transmission of vibration from the first stage to the second stage, and a detector that detects the positional information related to the motion of the dampener along the first axis, and the stage assembly further comprises a control system that compensates for vibration from the first stage utilizing the information detected by the detector, the initialization system monitoring the position of the second stage by utilizing the detector.

16. A method for positioning a work piece about a first axis, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first stage;

providing a second stage that retains the work piece;

moving the second stage relative to the first stage about the first axis with a second mover assembly;

monitoring the position of the second stage about the first axis when the second stage is positioned within a FA working range about the first axis with a measurement system; and

initializing the measurement system with an initialization system that facilitates positioning of the second stage about the first axis when the second stage is rotated about the first axis outside the FA working range.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the initialization system monitors the position of the second stage about the first axis.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of monitoring the position includes the step of monitoring the position of the second stage about a second axis when the second stage is positioned within a SA working range and wherein the step of initializing includes monitoring the position of the second stage about the first axis and the second axis.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the initialization system includes a first aligner and wherein the step of moving includes moving the second stage against the first aligner to orientate the second stage within the FA working range.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the initialization system includes a second aligner and wherein the step of moving includes moving the second stage against the second aligner to orientate the second stage within a SA working range.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the first aligner includes a contact area that allows the second stage to move relative to the first aligner while engaging the first aligner.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the initialization system includes a first sensor that monitors the position of the second stage and a first aligner, and wherein the step of moving includes moving the second stage against the first aligner to orientate the second stage within the FA working range.

23. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of moving the first stage with three degrees of movement with a first mover assembly.

24. A method for exposing on a work piece, the method comprising the steps of generating a beam and positioning the work piece in the path of the beam by the method of claim 16.

25. A stage assembly that positions a work piece about a first axis, the stage assembly comprising:

a first stage;

a second stage that retains the work piece;

a second mover assembly that moves the second stage relative to the first stage about the first axis;

a measurement system that monitors the position of the second stage about the first axis when the second stage is positioned within a FA working range about a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis; and

an initialization system that facilitates positioning of the second stage about the first axis when the second stage is rotated about the second axis outside the FA working range.